cliff. it's a cliff that the lawmakers built. they've set the tuesday deadline, they've known it was coming for more it and a year. but until now they've done little to agree on tax increases on tax cuts until that time. people in this building have none what's coming on tuesday yet they're only returning to get back to work just now. senate came back yesterday. house members, well, they won't be back until sunday. this afternoon house on senate leaders met with president obama at the white house. they talked for about an hour. afterwards president obama said he was modestly optimistic. bypassing house speaker john boehner, who has had trouble getting his fellow republicans to agree to anything, the president called on senate majority on minority leads are harry reid on mitch mcconnell to work out a deal on then present it to the house. he also laid out a scaled down mini deal if they are can't manage it. >> if we don't see an agreement between the two leaders in the senate, i expect a bill